a proud little thing.

Name: Dove
Age: over 21
Contact: PM this journal / PP prettydoes / disco dove#9906
Other Characters: Laura Kint
Interests: I want to play a character who's a little more social and interested in intrigue, to balance out Laura's whole...thing....


Name: Lady Betrys Argyn Bleddeth Miniver of Ostwick
Canon/OC: OC
Journal: mereandrastianism
Race: Human
Nationality: Marcher
Occupation: Aristocrat
Division: Diplomacy
Mage or Not: Not
Age: 24

History
• Born Cloudreach 02, 9:22, in Ostwick to Lord Ivor & Lady Tesna Miniver, the third child of theirs born alive. The first, Sherro, died in infancy, while the second, Mereth, was ~4 at this time. Ivor and Tesna experienced several miscarriages before and after the three children's births.

• When Betrys was 1 and Mereth 5, Mereth drowned in a well on the familly's estate, leaving Betrys sole heir to the family's fortune.

• Raised in Ostwick by a governess, servants, and two extremely protective parents. Betrys remembers her childhood as happy--she was mostly shielded from her parents' grief--but also as one in which she had to make her own solitude, as she was rarely allowed out of anyone's sight and frequently wanted to be. Aside from the desire to find hiding places in the orchard or slip down to the seaside alone (VERY MUCH NOT ALLOWED), generally a model of good behavior.

• Tutored in all the necessary subjects to become An Accomplished Young Woman and prepare to someday be the lady of an estate. Excelled in academics from an early age, but also proved to be an adequate equestrian and archer (inasmuch as she was allowed to pursue either--overly athletic dedication was frowned on by her parents as dangerous and unladylike). Struggled with artsier accomplishments, like singing and needlework.

• A decidedly well-behaved tween and teenager, too, who was socialized among other Young Ladies Of Gentle Birth and taught important skills like dancing and conversation. Made friends outside her neverending childminders. Discovered that she enjoyed society but still liked books better. Continued her academic studies with her parents' bemused consent.

• Came out into Ostwick society along with the other girls her age. Lots of parties and social gatherings and fancy dresses. A happy, pleasant time.

• Received a proposal of marriage at 19, which she turned down with her parents' approval; she asked for the opportunity to make a match with someone she knew she could care for, and they indulged her, assuming this would take a year or less.

• At 20, began campaigning in earnest for the opportunity to go to university to study, framing it as Bringing Greater Acclaim To The Family Name Before Coming Home To Make A Good Match And Raise Good Andrastian Children. Parents were unconvinced.

• Now that she's 24, her parents have grown frustrated with Bets' desires to leave Ostwick and generally do anything besides marry, have children, and see their estate run. On a hunt--more social gathering than serious work--she comes across a rift and ends up with a shard in her hand. She hides it from her family until it causes her so much pain she can't anymore.

• And that's how she ends up in Kirkwall--against her parents' better wishes, the other choice having been pain interrupting social calls and causing scandal. Their acquaintances believe she's gone to live in Hightown and serve the poor (while looking for a husband).

Personality

Betrys has been raised to be a generally well-intentioned young woman with an unwavering sense of loyalty and a strong awareness of her duties to her family, city-state, and the Maker--and it's kind of killing her.

On the one hand, she's been intensely aware of her parents' hardships since she was old enough to understand why she was the heir to the Miniver title and fortune. She realizes she's the only hope left for the family's continuation and has done (almost) everything possible to be the daughter her parents want her to be. Their ideal is a mostly ornamental daughter, one whose greatest concerns are the family, the estate, and Ostwick society.

On the other hand, Betrys is curious about the world; she wants to travel rather than settle down and have babies quite yet, especially since she's built so similarly to a mother who lost so many children. She wants to learn and experience and study things, and to see what lies beyond the corner of the Marches she was born to.

As a result, she's someone whose desires don't quite line up with the expectations on her, and she's trying desperately to find a way to manage that fact. That mismatch, coupled with her position as a noble, has made her intensely aware of how she's perceived by others; she conducts her business as such, taking great care to come off as exactly the poised noblewoman she's supposed to be. It can come off as prim and aloof when she doesn't know people, however, or otherwise like something about her attitude might not be quite real.

At heart--perhaps ironically--she does believe in honesty and genuineness, though. It's what draws her to studying theology and debating its values with other scholars. Betrys wants to get to the heart of Andraste's teachings and the beauty she finds in the Chant, and make others see what she sees in it. And it's the reason she'd like to marry someone she loves, rather than someone convenient: she wants, and frankly needs, to be able to confide in someone without concern that she won't be living up to the expectations the rest of the world has.

Beyond that? She's stubborn about the things she believes and wants, even as she tries to seem accommodating. She's conservative and parochial, however high up the food chain she might be in Ostwick. She pretends she doesn't read romance novels, but she definitely does. And, ever since she got that shard in her hand, she's been afraid--for her health, the future of her family, all the things she doesn't know about Riftwatch--and hoping nobody notices. But she sees opportunity, too, in the fact that she'll finally get to go someplace and do something. Whatever happens next, it's going to change her forever.

Opinions & Affiliations

The Chant: True and complete as anything could be, a source of endless comfort and fascination. Worth of study and requisite for living a truly good life.

The Chantry: Looks out for the good of Thedas.

Nobility: A natural part of Thedosian society that needs little change. Must show compassion towards the peasantry, but not so much that they become lazy.

The poor: Are always with us.

Elves: Should have a safe and clean place to live away from humans, since that's what they seem to want.

Mages: The Maker gave them gifts they aren't all capable of controlling, which unfortunately makes them dangerous. Should have a safe and clean place to live away from non-mages.

Dwarves: Good for trade but difficult company.

Templars: Do the Maker's work. Should be gentle yet firm with mages, as a parent to children.

Grey Wardens: Do the Maker's work generally quite far from her--she's never met one. Generally positive opinion.

Fereldans: Loud, drink too much. The dogs are sweet when they're well-behaved.

Orlesians: Treat the Marches like a backwater, rude, affected, excellent sense of fashion besides the masks.

Nevarrans: Too fond of corpses to be entirely comfortable.

Tevinters: Believe heresies, oppress normal people. A danger to all Thedas.

Qunari: A danger to all Thedas. Would be fascinated by the Qun if she learned about it from a practitioner, however.

Talking about religion and politics at dinner: Rude, proof that one cares more for one's stance than others' indigestion.

Strengths & Weaknesses
MENTAL
Strengths: Clever, well-educated, speaks Orlesian in addition to Common.
Weaknesses: Lack of experience with subject matter other classes of people find easy--has never cooked or cleaned, would assume a toilet brush was for cleaning the outside of a toilet.

PHYSICAL
Strengths: In reasonably good shape. A decent archer.
Weaknesses: A young lady of good character who's never had to defend her own life, live in the woods, or otherwise get all that messy. Not actually ready to live in the field. Probably brought dancing slippers to Kirkwall but didn't think to get a solid pair of boots. (Will probably fix that early on.)

EMOTIONAL
Strengths: Knows how to show empathy towards others, especially when it's within the bounds of Appropriate Behavior For A Young Lady Of Good Character.
Weaknesses: Struggles to express her true feelings to others when they might cast her in the wrong light. Really doesn't know how to deal with expressing intense or otherwise Not Appropriate For Society emotions.

Inventory

A trunk of clothes and accessories, a trunk of books (theology on top, trashy romances buried at the bottom), her bow and arrows, various homey little tchotchkes.

Motivation
She has a shard in her hand, and it's proving to be a pain--not just because she's been endeavouring to hide it from friends and acquaintances. Beyond that, she's lowkey hoping that coming to Kirkwall might be the first step on the road toward Orlais and the education she wants. After, she'll come back to the Marches, of course, but if she's going to study, she thinks she ought to seek out the best.


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